CHAPTERI.

ECCLESIASTES.CHAPTERI.THE words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.THE discourse of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.I.(1.)The words of Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.The meaning of the term Koheleth, and the question of authorship of the book, is discussed in the introduction. We have only to remark here on the use of the wordדברas it occurs in this book in the technical sense not only of a ‘word’ or ‘reason,’ but also including the matter or thing which the word represents. Usually it refers to words, reasonings, and matters connected with the mysteries of Providence——the whole treatise itself being argumentative and didactic, discussing the vanity, that is, the transitoriness, of human existence, as its topic.2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; allisvanity.SectionI.——The vanity or evanescence of all things human.Utterly evanescent, utterly evanescent, saith the Preacher; the whole is evanescent.(2.)Vanity of vanities, said Koheleth; vanity of vanities(very emphatic),the whole(הכל, with the article giving a slightly different notion toכל, the ‘whole collectively’ therefore; the word is equivalent to the Greekτὸ πᾶν, with the limitation however to human life in this world, as will become manifest in the course of the book) isvanity, (הבל, that which is ‘evanescent’ or ‘transitory,’ but never used in the modern sense of being frivolous or empty.) There is nothing of scoffing epicureanism in this book; the life of man is ever spoken of in the most serious and solemn tones. There is, indeed, much sarcasm, but it never touches upon lightness or indifference; it is always grave and solemn, and even when to superficial observation appearing equivocal or sceptical, proves, on further examination, to hide promises and hopes beneath its bitterness. This first verse may be looked upon as the text or topic of the discourse; Koheleth next proceeds to work out the argument suggested by it in detail.3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?Is there any profitable result to Humanity in all his cares, over which he ever moils, in this hot work-day world? [No, for](3.)What is?(expecting the answer no, and so nearly equivalent to a denial)the profit(יתרון, a word peculiar to this book——occurs chapteri.3;ii.11, 13 twice;iii.9;v.9 (8), 16 (15);vii.12;x.10, 11——i.e.ten times in all; it is a technical word, and is used to signify that whichremainsover and above after the act is performed, and apart from its present results. Koheleth uses frequently these nouns ending inון——thusיתר‘to extend,’ ‘run over,’יתרון‘remainder,’זכר‘remember,’זכרון‘remembrance,’etc.These nouns are in their nature abstracts, but differ from the ordinary abstracts; seechapteri.14)to man(לאדם, this word occurs in its different combinations forty-eight times in this book, and always with the signification of man as a member of the human race. There is a tone of personification about the word similar to that which occurs in the expression ‘the oldAdam;’ when this generic character is not to be expressed, thenאישorאנושis used instead; see chaptersi.8;ix.14 and 15),in all his toil(עמל, a favourite word of Koheleth, and used as frequently in this book as in all the rest of Scripture put together. The exact meaning to be affixed to it, and which, carefully kept in view, will be found to explain more than one otherwise obscure passage, is that toil, care, or anxiety which labour produces, and answers to the idea contained in our metaphor ‘takespains;’ see chapterii.20),which he toils at(this is the first instance which occurs of the contracted relativeש־joined to the word. Koheleth uses also the full relativeאשר, but with a slight difference of meaning. The contracted relative refers to the word only which it joins, and in case of verbs often gives a subjunctive or optative meaning; the full relative refers back to the whole idea or clause. Hence the meaning of this passage is this, ‘Is there any abiding advantage to humanity of the pains of his labouring in so far as he does take pains, or toils’)under the sun(or in this present state of existence). The phraseתחת השמשoccurs twenty-five times in this book, and is always expressive of a limitation. It shows that what is affirmed is to be understood as confined to its relation to this sublunary existence only. The idea implied is that of man toiling under the sun in the heat of the day in the sweat of his brow (Genesisiii.17), and earnestly desiring the shadow (Jobvii.2), which shadow is yet the symbol of decaying life. It is true that Ecclesiastes is never quoted in the New Testament, but there are certainly several allusions to it, more or less direct; one of these apparently occurs Revelationvii.16:οὐ πεινάσουσιν ἔτι, οὐδὲ διψήσουσιν ἔτι, οὐδ’ οὐ μὴ πέσῃ ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ὁ ἥλιος, οὐδὲ πᾶν καῦμα——‘They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them by day, nor any heat.’ The Chaldee Targum expresses this idea quaintly but forcibly: ‘What advantage is there to a man after his death from all his labour which he laboured under the sun in this world, except he studied the word of God, in order to receive a good reward in the world to come from before the Lord of the world?’ In order to remind the reader of this meaning of the words ‘under the sun,’ I have whenever they occur paraphrased them by ‘in this hot work-day world’——not that this paraphrase is quite satisfactory, but it is the best I could find.To answer the above question, Koheleth citeseightdifferent instances; four from natural, and four from moral experience.Those we might call the eightunbeatitudes of this sermon.4Onegeneration passeth away, andanothergeneration cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.I.A generation comes, and that generation departs. But the earth the same abides.(4.)A generation comes(i.e.proceeds; the word occurs five times in the passage).A generation sets(using exactly the same word as for the setting of the sun in the next verse),but the earth to the age abideth(i.e.remains the same as it was ‘to the age’לעלם——this word is used in a technical sense, and occurs chaptersi.4, 10;ii.16;iii.11, 14;ix.6; andxii.5 in this book. TheLXX.render byαἰών, which Bengel says is ‘sæculum præsens, mundus in sua indole cursu et censu.’ Hengstenberg observes that it is not an absolutely endless eternity, but only a future of unlimited length. Bengel’s definition, ‘the present period in its quality, course, and account,’ is exactly what the word signifies in this book. It is to be noticed that each instance of change is followed by a sentence which points out that this change is resultless. In the first, the fluctuating and fleeting generations or life-periods of man contrast with the absolute endurance of an unchanged order of things). ‘The great mill-wheel of existence only revolves for the same cogs to come uppermost again and again.’——[Hamilton,Royal Preacher.]5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and¹hasteth to his place where he arose.¹Hebrewpanteth.II.Bursts forth the sun, and sets that sun again; and wearily advancing, bursts forth as he did before.(5.)And rises(i.e.‘bursts out’ or ‘irradiates’)the sun, and sets the sun(as ‘sun’ is repeated, the second is equivalent to that same sun)and towards his place panting(this word ‘pant,’שאף, occurs Jobvii.2; Psalmlvii.3; Psalmcxix.131, and denotes earnest desire: the metaphor is a very beautiful one in this context)——rising(irradiating)is he there.6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.III.Going southwards, and twisting northwards, twisting, twisting goes the blast; and so with all its twistings the wind returns.(6.)Going(i.e.‘walking,’ ‘proceeding,’ as in verse 4)towards the south(the quarter of warm winds), andturning round towards the north(the place of cold),turning turns, going the wind(there is in the Hebrew a concourse of sibilant letters imitating the sound of the wind, which is attempted to be rendered in the paraphrase),and in its turnings returns the wind(that is, ever goes round in the same circuits, as the Authorized Version translates). Thus we have an allusion to the four cardinal points of the universe, North, South, East, and West.7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the seaisnot full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they¹return again.¹Hebrewreturn to go.IV.All the torrents are running towards the sea, that sea which never overflows; to the place where these torrents are hastening, thither they are only returning to go back.(7.)All the torrents(נחל, a mountain stream especially)are going to the sea, and the sea it is not full(equivalent to ‘that sea which is never filled or any fuller’),to the placetowhich the rivers(contract relative, meaning thesesamerivers)are going, thence are they returning to go back.(So theLXX.; others with the Authorized Version translate, ‘Thither they return again.’) It is to be remarked that this fact is scientifically accurate in statement. The Targum has the gloss that the rivers flow into the ocean whichsurrounds the world like a ring, and that they return again through thesubterranean channels, but Koheleth knows nothing of such false philosophy.8 All thingsarefull of labour; man cannot utterit: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.V.All matters are fatiguing; impossible for any one to reason out. Never is the eye satisfied by seeing, nor ever the ear filled with sound.(8.)All the words(with the article, and therefore generic; ‘matters’ or ‘things,’ in the technical sense of things reasoned about, seeverse 1)are fatiguing(so theLXX.and Vulgate; Ginsburg has ‘feeble;’ Preston, ‘in activity;’ and Hengstenberg, ‘all words become weary;’ but the ancient verses make better sense with the context),not possible is it for a man(notאדםhere, butאיש= ‘one,’ or ‘any one’)to utterthem (לדבר, ‘to speak rationally concerning them,’ and so to account for their existence or explain their nature. The impossibility of exhausting a subject by talking or reasoning about it is here the point, as is evident from the order of the words);not satisfied(answering to the ‘not possible’ above)is the eye with seeing, and not is filled the ear by sound(or by what it hears). So then, while the consideration of any matter is pretty sure to produce weariness, it is quite certain not to produce satisfaction.9 The thing that hath been, itis thatwhich shall be; and that which is doneisthat which shall be done: andthere isno newthingunder the sun.VI.Whatever has been? ’tis just the same as will be; and whatever has been done? ’tis just the same as will be done. So there is nothing altogether new within this work-day world.(9.)What is that which has been?itis the same which will be; and what is that which has been done?itis the same which will be done(so theLXX., literally following the Heb. text),and there is nothing all new under the sun.The Authorized Version understands by this ‘no new thing;’ but the peculiar position of this word ‘all’ seems to imply that ‘nothing’ must be taken with some slight qualification,——nothing morally new. The next verse admits material novelty.10 Is thereanything whereof it may be said, See, thisisnew? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.VII.[No doubt] there occurs a matter such that peoplesay, See, now this is really new. The present was it once in some age before our time.(10.)There is(יש, which is so far different fromהיהthat it assumes the existence as afact, ‘There really are matters which are called new’)a matter whichonesays(contracted relative joined to the verb, and giving an emphasis to it, equivalent therefore to our ‘of which it may besaid, indeed’)see this new it is(emphatic)the present(כברoccurs eight times,viz.,i.10,ii.12, 16,iii.15 twice,iv.2,vi.10, andix.6, 7——in Ecclesiastes only; it is a technical word used to denote the present state of things, that part of theעלםor ‘age’ which is now in existence. In the later Hebrew and Syriac it is used as an adverb, ‘already,’ but that is not its use here. This remark is the more important because it is one of those so-called Aramaic words, the occurrence of which is supposed to indicate the late period of this book’s composition. A careful observance of its real import will throw considerable light on several very obscure passages. Generally, it may be taken for granted that if Koheleth uses a new word or form not known in other parts of the Scriptures, it is because he desires to indicate a new idea.)It was to the ages which(full relative, referring back, therefore, to the whole sentence)were from before us(as we have ages in the plural, followed by a singular verb,היה, the meaning is some one of the ages). This thing which is said to be new is really one of those forgotten matters which existed in one or other of the eras which were before our time.11There isno remembrance of formerthings; neither shall there beanyremembrance ofthingsthat are to come withthosethat shall come after.VIII.There is no remembrance of former matters; and so also with regard to subsequent ones which will be, there will be no remembrance with those who will succeed them.(11.)There is nothingofremembrance(or memorial)to formerevents (or persons)and in addition to succeedingeventswhich will be. There will not be to them(emphatic)a remembrance(the repetition of this word shows it to be the prominent word of the sentence)amongst those which shall be to(i.e.belonging to) thelastof all (so theLXX.) We have here the feminine form,אחרנה. Koheleth usually expresses the abstracts by this form, and so here. Thus, then, we find that history always repeats itself: not so, however, that its events can be anticipated, but always so that its teachings may be forgotten.This then forms the first division of the book. By these eight instances Koheleth proves the existence of unceasing toilsome care and resultless progression in all human things. He proceeds in the next place to give his own personal experience, in the form of an autobiography to the same effect. All commentators, even those who deny that Solomon himself was the author of this book, are agreed that he is the hero, and that his life and experience form the groundwork of what is here set before us.12 ¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.SectionII.——Containing a more formal discussion of the problem of human existence, drawn from the Preacher’s own observation and experience.Now, I myself, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem,(12.)I(emphatic)Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.Ginsburg supposes that by this declaration that hewasking, he intends to imply that he was so nolonger; but not only does theLXX.render by an imperfect, but the same word occurs in precisely the same form at Exodusii.22, and clearly at the time there mentioned Moses continued to be a stranger in Midian. The object in stating this fact is rather to show that as a king he possessed peculiar facilities for making the investigation, an account of which follows.13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning allthingsthat are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man¹to be exercised therewith.¹Or, to afflict them.and I took the greatest pains to seek out and to investigate by means of wisdom everything that is done within the limits of this world; how it is a painful uncertainty appointed of God to the human race that they should be distracted with it.(13.)And I set my heart(gave great pains to, or thought much on, seei.17,vii.21,viii.9, 10; Danielx.12; 1 Chroniclesxxii.19)to inquiring(דרש, being used of something lost or hidden, Genesisxxv.22, Deuteronomyxxii.2)and to investigating(תור, refers to spying out or searching, Numbersxiii.15, chaptervii.25)in wisdom(the Authorized Version considers that wisdom was the means by which inquiry was made)concerning(על, over)all which(equivalent to ‘all that which’)is done(but being niphal it has an objective sense, and includes what is suffered)under the heavens(this formula occurs chapterii.3, andiii.1, and is of larger import than under the sun)it is(‘I mean that’ is the equivalent expression in English)uncertainty(ענין, this is another technical word, it occurs eight times, chapteri.13,ii.23, 26,iii.10,iv.8,v.3 (4),viii.16, and a careful comparison of places will show that the meaning is ‘uncertainty,’ accompanied with ‘anxiety’ as to what is to happen in the future)which is an evil(for it is without the article)givenofGod(without the article; because God is here used personally, it is nominative toנתןof course, but as the nominative follows the verb, this is the best way of rendering in this case)to the sons of the Adam(the ‘whole human race’ is the meaning of this form), that they may bemade anxious(LXX.τοῦ περισπᾶσθαι)therewith(emphatic).14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, allisvanity and vexation of spirit.I perceived with respect to all the actions whatsoever, in so far as they are performed within this work-day world, that they are certainly all of them (1.) evanescent, (2.) a vexation of spirit,(14.)I have seen(I have observed, that is)with respect to all actions(אתis here emphatic as standing first)which are performed(niphal and contracted relative, hence having the meaning in so far as they are or may be done)under the sun(for without this limitation the above proposition would not be true),and behold(asserting a matter of fact patent to all)the whole(with the article and in its usual sense, see chapteri.2) isa vanity(i.e.an instance of something evanescent)and a vexation of spirit(רעות, occurs seven times in this book,viz., chaptersi.14,ii.11, 17, 26,iv.4, 6, andvi.9;רעיוןoccurs three times,i.17,ii.22,iv.16. These words have usually been regarded as absolutely synonymous, and hitherto the difference of meaning has not been noticed; but there is a slight difference, as a comparison of places will show. The exact sense to be attached to them is a matter of dispute, and ‘a windy notion,’ ‘strivingafter the wind,’ have been proposed, but the rendering of theLXX.,προαίρεσις, ‘distraction,’ represents the meaning best. With regard toרעותwe may notice that it is formed quite regularly fromרעה, which is ‘evil,’ in the sense of something that ‘hurts’ or ‘offends,’ and is in the nature of a collective plural; so do we account at once for the peculiar pointing and for the rendering of theLXX.On the other hand,רעיוןhas, as nouns with this termination usually have, a more subjective meaning; the distinction between the two is that between ‘vexations of’ and ‘vexing of’ spirit; thus in verse 17, where the trouble came from his own spirit, caused by his inability to explain the difficulty which confronted him in his argument, Koheleth uses the subjective form).15That which iscrooked cannot be made straight: and that which is¹wanting cannot be numbered.¹Hebrewdefect.(3.) a perplexity which it is impossible to set right, (4.) a defect which it is equally impossible to account for.(15.)A crookedness(occurs chaptersvii.13,xii.3, and Amosviii.5, whence it appears that the precise meaning is moral obliquity)not enabled to be set in order(occurs chapteri.15,vii.18,xii.9, only),a defect(occurs here only, but see Deuteronomyxxviii.48, 57, where the root is used of famine, and 1 Kingsxvii.16, to denote the failure of the oil)not enabled(repeated, hence we must render ‘it isequallyimpossible’)to be numbered(infinitive plural niphal). The meaning of this verse has been very much disputed, but if it be considered as the sequel to what went immediately before, the sense will be quite plain. We may discern in it a fourfold description of human life, in respect of its cares and anxieties and uncertainties, the first point being (i.) that this care is for something evanescent; (ii.) that it is vexatious; (iii.) and then this anxiety is useless, because life is so perverted as to be beyond the possibility of being set in order by any care of ours; (iv.) and so defective that no account can be given which would set it right: ‘which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?’16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than alltheythat have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart¹had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.¹Hebrewhad seen much.I reasoned over the matter with my own heart to this effect. I who have, it appears, become greater and more advanced in wisdom than any who were before me in Jerusalem, and experienced over the widest extent of wisdom and knowledge,(16.)Reasoned I myself together with my heart to say(as reasoned stands first, this is the subject of the whole, and the words ‘to say,’לאמר, are the usual formula of introduction of the thing said; they are equivalent to our ‘to this effect.’ This then is Koheleth’s reasoning, the result of which is to be given),I behold(stating it as an admitted and patent fact)I have been made great, and I have been addedto inwisdom above all which were before me in Jerusalem, and my heart has seen the much(with the article expressed; equivalent therefore to very much, or as much as possible of)wisdom and knowledge.17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.and have set my heart earnestly to know wisdom, and to know false successes from real acts of prudence, know but this: it is simply vexing one’s spirit;(17.)And I have given my heart in order to know wisdom(that is, he made wisdom his special study and object)and the knowledge of(‘know’ being repeated rises into special prominence, and hence the meaning is to know wisdom, or to be wise enough to recognise)false expectations and prudences. (This passage is one of great difficulty, but the exact sense will become apparent on investigating the meaning of the two wordsהוללותandשכלות; nowהוללותoccurs chapteri.17,ii.12,vii.25,ix.3, and pointed with Shurek atx.13, and is peculiar to Ecclesiastes. It is a technical word, and is correctly translated ‘folly,’ but it is that kind of folly which displays itself in false joy. The future poel from which this noun is derived occurs Jobxii.17, chaptervii.7, Isaiahxliv.25; and the participle at chapterii.2, Psalmcii.89. Thus we see the connexion between this sense and the more ordinary one of ‘praise;’ it is the ‘bepraised’ used in a bad sense. The wordשכלותoccurs here only, but it is rendered by theLXX.ἐπιστήμη, and by the Syriac(‡ Syriac word), compare also Genesisxli.33, with the meaning ‘prudence,’ and with this agrees the later Hebrew. Now these meanings make consistent sense. Koheleth wished to know wisdom and the knowledge of folly and prudence; in other words, to have a wisdom which could tell the one from the other. Thus theLXX.renderהל״byπαραβολὰς, whichA²has altered intoπεριφορὰν; this apparently very strange rendering is thus intelligible enough, especially to those who had the Hebrew before them. To alter the text toסכלות, as some have proposed, is not even to cut the Gordian knot, for with the true meaning of this word, ‘clever-folly,’ ‘false-wisdom,’ no better sense will be made, although it is quite possible thatשכ״may have been chosen for the equivoke it gives, not even differing in sound, if the pointing can be trusted, fromסכ״. The truth is that so much of our elaborate wisdom and best plans are but elaborate mistakes, that to attempt to judge the one from the other is a hopeless task. Hence then the following)I know(this is the fourth time this word occurs in the clause, thus it is brought out with the very strongest prominence, and gives the meaning ‘what I do know is’)that even this(שגם, compare places chapterii.15,viii.14, has a peculiar meaning, expressive of surprise that this should be so) reallyis vexing of spirit(רעיון, notרעות, as above; because in this case the vexation is subjective,——the idea conveyed by the whole passage being ‘what I do know as the result of my wisdom and knowledge being just even this, that it is only a vexing of the spirit’). It may be observed thatרעיוןoccurs in the Chaldee of Daniel——see Danielii.29, 30;iv.19 (16);v.6,etc., always in the sense of a ‘painfulreflection,’ but in later Chaldee and Syriac as ‘a reflection’ of any kind. As the sense in which Koheleth uses the word is the nearest to the root-meaning, is it not an evidence, so far, of earlier composition of his book?18 For in much wisdomismuch grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.because, in increasing wisdom, there is an increase also of disappointment, and what adds to one’s knowledge adds to one’s sorrow.(18.)For(introducing a reason for this conclusion as follows)in much wisdom is much grief(grief in the sense of ‘vexation,’ caused by disappointment——see chapterii.23,vii.3, 9,xi.10, 1 Samueli.6. TheLXX.translate byγνῶσις, ‘knowledge’! Is it possible that they intended to refer to Genesisii.♦17, usingγνῶσιςin a bad sense?)andhe thatincreases knowledge increases sorrow(chapterii.23; Exodusiii.7, of the Israelitish sorrows at the hands of their task-masters). ‘In a world like this much science is much sorrow, for it is the knowledge of penury, the statistics of starvation, the assurance that our case is desperate.’——[Hamilton.]♦“xvii.” replaced with “17”Even the wisdom of Solomon having failed to find any solution of the problem of human anxiety, he next tries mirth, but with no better success. This experiment takes only two verses to record, for it was but soon over.

ECCLESIASTES.

THE words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.

THE discourse of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.

I.(1.)The words of Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.The meaning of the term Koheleth, and the question of authorship of the book, is discussed in the introduction. We have only to remark here on the use of the wordדברas it occurs in this book in the technical sense not only of a ‘word’ or ‘reason,’ but also including the matter or thing which the word represents. Usually it refers to words, reasonings, and matters connected with the mysteries of Providence——the whole treatise itself being argumentative and didactic, discussing the vanity, that is, the transitoriness, of human existence, as its topic.

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; allisvanity.

SectionI.——The vanity or evanescence of all things human.Utterly evanescent, utterly evanescent, saith the Preacher; the whole is evanescent.

SectionI.——The vanity or evanescence of all things human.

Utterly evanescent, utterly evanescent, saith the Preacher; the whole is evanescent.

(2.)Vanity of vanities, said Koheleth; vanity of vanities(very emphatic),the whole(הכל, with the article giving a slightly different notion toכל, the ‘whole collectively’ therefore; the word is equivalent to the Greekτὸ πᾶν, with the limitation however to human life in this world, as will become manifest in the course of the book) isvanity, (הבל, that which is ‘evanescent’ or ‘transitory,’ but never used in the modern sense of being frivolous or empty.) There is nothing of scoffing epicureanism in this book; the life of man is ever spoken of in the most serious and solemn tones. There is, indeed, much sarcasm, but it never touches upon lightness or indifference; it is always grave and solemn, and even when to superficial observation appearing equivocal or sceptical, proves, on further examination, to hide promises and hopes beneath its bitterness. This first verse may be looked upon as the text or topic of the discourse; Koheleth next proceeds to work out the argument suggested by it in detail.

3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Is there any profitable result to Humanity in all his cares, over which he ever moils, in this hot work-day world? [No, for]

(3.)What is?(expecting the answer no, and so nearly equivalent to a denial)the profit(יתרון, a word peculiar to this book——occurs chapteri.3;ii.11, 13 twice;iii.9;v.9 (8), 16 (15);vii.12;x.10, 11——i.e.ten times in all; it is a technical word, and is used to signify that whichremainsover and above after the act is performed, and apart from its present results. Koheleth uses frequently these nouns ending inון——thusיתר‘to extend,’ ‘run over,’יתרון‘remainder,’זכר‘remember,’זכרון‘remembrance,’etc.These nouns are in their nature abstracts, but differ from the ordinary abstracts; seechapteri.14)to man(לאדם, this word occurs in its different combinations forty-eight times in this book, and always with the signification of man as a member of the human race. There is a tone of personification about the word similar to that which occurs in the expression ‘the oldAdam;’ when this generic character is not to be expressed, thenאישorאנושis used instead; see chaptersi.8;ix.14 and 15),in all his toil(עמל, a favourite word of Koheleth, and used as frequently in this book as in all the rest of Scripture put together. The exact meaning to be affixed to it, and which, carefully kept in view, will be found to explain more than one otherwise obscure passage, is that toil, care, or anxiety which labour produces, and answers to the idea contained in our metaphor ‘takespains;’ see chapterii.20),which he toils at(this is the first instance which occurs of the contracted relativeש־joined to the word. Koheleth uses also the full relativeאשר, but with a slight difference of meaning. The contracted relative refers to the word only which it joins, and in case of verbs often gives a subjunctive or optative meaning; the full relative refers back to the whole idea or clause. Hence the meaning of this passage is this, ‘Is there any abiding advantage to humanity of the pains of his labouring in so far as he does take pains, or toils’)under the sun(or in this present state of existence). The phraseתחת השמשoccurs twenty-five times in this book, and is always expressive of a limitation. It shows that what is affirmed is to be understood as confined to its relation to this sublunary existence only. The idea implied is that of man toiling under the sun in the heat of the day in the sweat of his brow (Genesisiii.17), and earnestly desiring the shadow (Jobvii.2), which shadow is yet the symbol of decaying life. It is true that Ecclesiastes is never quoted in the New Testament, but there are certainly several allusions to it, more or less direct; one of these apparently occurs Revelationvii.16:οὐ πεινάσουσιν ἔτι, οὐδὲ διψήσουσιν ἔτι, οὐδ’ οὐ μὴ πέσῃ ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ὁ ἥλιος, οὐδὲ πᾶν καῦμα——‘They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them by day, nor any heat.’ The Chaldee Targum expresses this idea quaintly but forcibly: ‘What advantage is there to a man after his death from all his labour which he laboured under the sun in this world, except he studied the word of God, in order to receive a good reward in the world to come from before the Lord of the world?’ In order to remind the reader of this meaning of the words ‘under the sun,’ I have whenever they occur paraphrased them by ‘in this hot work-day world’——not that this paraphrase is quite satisfactory, but it is the best I could find.To answer the above question, Koheleth citeseightdifferent instances; four from natural, and four from moral experience.Those we might call the eightunbeatitudes of this sermon.

To answer the above question, Koheleth citeseightdifferent instances; four from natural, and four from moral experience.Those we might call the eightunbeatitudes of this sermon.

4Onegeneration passeth away, andanothergeneration cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

I.A generation comes, and that generation departs. But the earth the same abides.

(4.)A generation comes(i.e.proceeds; the word occurs five times in the passage).A generation sets(using exactly the same word as for the setting of the sun in the next verse),but the earth to the age abideth(i.e.remains the same as it was ‘to the age’לעלם——this word is used in a technical sense, and occurs chaptersi.4, 10;ii.16;iii.11, 14;ix.6; andxii.5 in this book. TheLXX.render byαἰών, which Bengel says is ‘sæculum præsens, mundus in sua indole cursu et censu.’ Hengstenberg observes that it is not an absolutely endless eternity, but only a future of unlimited length. Bengel’s definition, ‘the present period in its quality, course, and account,’ is exactly what the word signifies in this book. It is to be noticed that each instance of change is followed by a sentence which points out that this change is resultless. In the first, the fluctuating and fleeting generations or life-periods of man contrast with the absolute endurance of an unchanged order of things). ‘The great mill-wheel of existence only revolves for the same cogs to come uppermost again and again.’——[Hamilton,Royal Preacher.]

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and¹hasteth to his place where he arose.¹Hebrewpanteth.

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and¹hasteth to his place where he arose.

¹Hebrewpanteth.

II.Bursts forth the sun, and sets that sun again; and wearily advancing, bursts forth as he did before.

(5.)And rises(i.e.‘bursts out’ or ‘irradiates’)the sun, and sets the sun(as ‘sun’ is repeated, the second is equivalent to that same sun)and towards his place panting(this word ‘pant,’שאף, occurs Jobvii.2; Psalmlvii.3; Psalmcxix.131, and denotes earnest desire: the metaphor is a very beautiful one in this context)——rising(irradiating)is he there.

6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

III.Going southwards, and twisting northwards, twisting, twisting goes the blast; and so with all its twistings the wind returns.

(6.)Going(i.e.‘walking,’ ‘proceeding,’ as in verse 4)towards the south(the quarter of warm winds), andturning round towards the north(the place of cold),turning turns, going the wind(there is in the Hebrew a concourse of sibilant letters imitating the sound of the wind, which is attempted to be rendered in the paraphrase),and in its turnings returns the wind(that is, ever goes round in the same circuits, as the Authorized Version translates). Thus we have an allusion to the four cardinal points of the universe, North, South, East, and West.

7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the seaisnot full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they¹return again.¹Hebrewreturn to go.

7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the seaisnot full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they¹return again.

¹Hebrewreturn to go.

IV.All the torrents are running towards the sea, that sea which never overflows; to the place where these torrents are hastening, thither they are only returning to go back.

(7.)All the torrents(נחל, a mountain stream especially)are going to the sea, and the sea it is not full(equivalent to ‘that sea which is never filled or any fuller’),to the placetowhich the rivers(contract relative, meaning thesesamerivers)are going, thence are they returning to go back.(So theLXX.; others with the Authorized Version translate, ‘Thither they return again.’) It is to be remarked that this fact is scientifically accurate in statement. The Targum has the gloss that the rivers flow into the ocean whichsurrounds the world like a ring, and that they return again through thesubterranean channels, but Koheleth knows nothing of such false philosophy.

8 All thingsarefull of labour; man cannot utterit: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

V.All matters are fatiguing; impossible for any one to reason out. Never is the eye satisfied by seeing, nor ever the ear filled with sound.

(8.)All the words(with the article, and therefore generic; ‘matters’ or ‘things,’ in the technical sense of things reasoned about, seeverse 1)are fatiguing(so theLXX.and Vulgate; Ginsburg has ‘feeble;’ Preston, ‘in activity;’ and Hengstenberg, ‘all words become weary;’ but the ancient verses make better sense with the context),not possible is it for a man(notאדםhere, butאיש= ‘one,’ or ‘any one’)to utterthem (לדבר, ‘to speak rationally concerning them,’ and so to account for their existence or explain their nature. The impossibility of exhausting a subject by talking or reasoning about it is here the point, as is evident from the order of the words);not satisfied(answering to the ‘not possible’ above)is the eye with seeing, and not is filled the ear by sound(or by what it hears). So then, while the consideration of any matter is pretty sure to produce weariness, it is quite certain not to produce satisfaction.

9 The thing that hath been, itis thatwhich shall be; and that which is doneisthat which shall be done: andthere isno newthingunder the sun.

VI.Whatever has been? ’tis just the same as will be; and whatever has been done? ’tis just the same as will be done. So there is nothing altogether new within this work-day world.

(9.)What is that which has been?itis the same which will be; and what is that which has been done?itis the same which will be done(so theLXX., literally following the Heb. text),and there is nothing all new under the sun.The Authorized Version understands by this ‘no new thing;’ but the peculiar position of this word ‘all’ seems to imply that ‘nothing’ must be taken with some slight qualification,——nothing morally new. The next verse admits material novelty.

10 Is thereanything whereof it may be said, See, thisisnew? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

VII.[No doubt] there occurs a matter such that peoplesay, See, now this is really new. The present was it once in some age before our time.

(10.)There is(יש, which is so far different fromהיהthat it assumes the existence as afact, ‘There really are matters which are called new’)a matter whichonesays(contracted relative joined to the verb, and giving an emphasis to it, equivalent therefore to our ‘of which it may besaid, indeed’)see this new it is(emphatic)the present(כברoccurs eight times,viz.,i.10,ii.12, 16,iii.15 twice,iv.2,vi.10, andix.6, 7——in Ecclesiastes only; it is a technical word used to denote the present state of things, that part of theעלםor ‘age’ which is now in existence. In the later Hebrew and Syriac it is used as an adverb, ‘already,’ but that is not its use here. This remark is the more important because it is one of those so-called Aramaic words, the occurrence of which is supposed to indicate the late period of this book’s composition. A careful observance of its real import will throw considerable light on several very obscure passages. Generally, it may be taken for granted that if Koheleth uses a new word or form not known in other parts of the Scriptures, it is because he desires to indicate a new idea.)It was to the ages which(full relative, referring back, therefore, to the whole sentence)were from before us(as we have ages in the plural, followed by a singular verb,היה, the meaning is some one of the ages). This thing which is said to be new is really one of those forgotten matters which existed in one or other of the eras which were before our time.

11There isno remembrance of formerthings; neither shall there beanyremembrance ofthingsthat are to come withthosethat shall come after.

VIII.There is no remembrance of former matters; and so also with regard to subsequent ones which will be, there will be no remembrance with those who will succeed them.

(11.)There is nothingofremembrance(or memorial)to formerevents (or persons)and in addition to succeedingeventswhich will be. There will not be to them(emphatic)a remembrance(the repetition of this word shows it to be the prominent word of the sentence)amongst those which shall be to(i.e.belonging to) thelastof all (so theLXX.) We have here the feminine form,אחרנה. Koheleth usually expresses the abstracts by this form, and so here. Thus, then, we find that history always repeats itself: not so, however, that its events can be anticipated, but always so that its teachings may be forgotten.This then forms the first division of the book. By these eight instances Koheleth proves the existence of unceasing toilsome care and resultless progression in all human things. He proceeds in the next place to give his own personal experience, in the form of an autobiography to the same effect. All commentators, even those who deny that Solomon himself was the author of this book, are agreed that he is the hero, and that his life and experience form the groundwork of what is here set before us.

This then forms the first division of the book. By these eight instances Koheleth proves the existence of unceasing toilsome care and resultless progression in all human things. He proceeds in the next place to give his own personal experience, in the form of an autobiography to the same effect. All commentators, even those who deny that Solomon himself was the author of this book, are agreed that he is the hero, and that his life and experience form the groundwork of what is here set before us.

12 ¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

SectionII.——Containing a more formal discussion of the problem of human existence, drawn from the Preacher’s own observation and experience.Now, I myself, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem,

SectionII.——Containing a more formal discussion of the problem of human existence, drawn from the Preacher’s own observation and experience.

Now, I myself, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem,

(12.)I(emphatic)Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.Ginsburg supposes that by this declaration that hewasking, he intends to imply that he was so nolonger; but not only does theLXX.render by an imperfect, but the same word occurs in precisely the same form at Exodusii.22, and clearly at the time there mentioned Moses continued to be a stranger in Midian. The object in stating this fact is rather to show that as a king he possessed peculiar facilities for making the investigation, an account of which follows.

13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning allthingsthat are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man¹to be exercised therewith.¹Or, to afflict them.

13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning allthingsthat are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man¹to be exercised therewith.

¹Or, to afflict them.

and I took the greatest pains to seek out and to investigate by means of wisdom everything that is done within the limits of this world; how it is a painful uncertainty appointed of God to the human race that they should be distracted with it.

(13.)And I set my heart(gave great pains to, or thought much on, seei.17,vii.21,viii.9, 10; Danielx.12; 1 Chroniclesxxii.19)to inquiring(דרש, being used of something lost or hidden, Genesisxxv.22, Deuteronomyxxii.2)and to investigating(תור, refers to spying out or searching, Numbersxiii.15, chaptervii.25)in wisdom(the Authorized Version considers that wisdom was the means by which inquiry was made)concerning(על, over)all which(equivalent to ‘all that which’)is done(but being niphal it has an objective sense, and includes what is suffered)under the heavens(this formula occurs chapterii.3, andiii.1, and is of larger import than under the sun)it is(‘I mean that’ is the equivalent expression in English)uncertainty(ענין, this is another technical word, it occurs eight times, chapteri.13,ii.23, 26,iii.10,iv.8,v.3 (4),viii.16, and a careful comparison of places will show that the meaning is ‘uncertainty,’ accompanied with ‘anxiety’ as to what is to happen in the future)which is an evil(for it is without the article)givenofGod(without the article; because God is here used personally, it is nominative toנתןof course, but as the nominative follows the verb, this is the best way of rendering in this case)to the sons of the Adam(the ‘whole human race’ is the meaning of this form), that they may bemade anxious(LXX.τοῦ περισπᾶσθαι)therewith(emphatic).

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, allisvanity and vexation of spirit.

I perceived with respect to all the actions whatsoever, in so far as they are performed within this work-day world, that they are certainly all of them (1.) evanescent, (2.) a vexation of spirit,

(14.)I have seen(I have observed, that is)with respect to all actions(אתis here emphatic as standing first)which are performed(niphal and contracted relative, hence having the meaning in so far as they are or may be done)under the sun(for without this limitation the above proposition would not be true),and behold(asserting a matter of fact patent to all)the whole(with the article and in its usual sense, see chapteri.2) isa vanity(i.e.an instance of something evanescent)and a vexation of spirit(רעות, occurs seven times in this book,viz., chaptersi.14,ii.11, 17, 26,iv.4, 6, andvi.9;רעיוןoccurs three times,i.17,ii.22,iv.16. These words have usually been regarded as absolutely synonymous, and hitherto the difference of meaning has not been noticed; but there is a slight difference, as a comparison of places will show. The exact sense to be attached to them is a matter of dispute, and ‘a windy notion,’ ‘strivingafter the wind,’ have been proposed, but the rendering of theLXX.,προαίρεσις, ‘distraction,’ represents the meaning best. With regard toרעותwe may notice that it is formed quite regularly fromרעה, which is ‘evil,’ in the sense of something that ‘hurts’ or ‘offends,’ and is in the nature of a collective plural; so do we account at once for the peculiar pointing and for the rendering of theLXX.On the other hand,רעיוןhas, as nouns with this termination usually have, a more subjective meaning; the distinction between the two is that between ‘vexations of’ and ‘vexing of’ spirit; thus in verse 17, where the trouble came from his own spirit, caused by his inability to explain the difficulty which confronted him in his argument, Koheleth uses the subjective form).

15That which iscrooked cannot be made straight: and that which is¹wanting cannot be numbered.¹Hebrewdefect.

15That which iscrooked cannot be made straight: and that which is¹wanting cannot be numbered.

¹Hebrewdefect.

(3.) a perplexity which it is impossible to set right, (4.) a defect which it is equally impossible to account for.

(15.)A crookedness(occurs chaptersvii.13,xii.3, and Amosviii.5, whence it appears that the precise meaning is moral obliquity)not enabled to be set in order(occurs chapteri.15,vii.18,xii.9, only),a defect(occurs here only, but see Deuteronomyxxviii.48, 57, where the root is used of famine, and 1 Kingsxvii.16, to denote the failure of the oil)not enabled(repeated, hence we must render ‘it isequallyimpossible’)to be numbered(infinitive plural niphal). The meaning of this verse has been very much disputed, but if it be considered as the sequel to what went immediately before, the sense will be quite plain. We may discern in it a fourfold description of human life, in respect of its cares and anxieties and uncertainties, the first point being (i.) that this care is for something evanescent; (ii.) that it is vexatious; (iii.) and then this anxiety is useless, because life is so perverted as to be beyond the possibility of being set in order by any care of ours; (iv.) and so defective that no account can be given which would set it right: ‘which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?’

16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than alltheythat have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart¹had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.¹Hebrewhad seen much.

¹Hebrewhad seen much.

I reasoned over the matter with my own heart to this effect. I who have, it appears, become greater and more advanced in wisdom than any who were before me in Jerusalem, and experienced over the widest extent of wisdom and knowledge,

(16.)Reasoned I myself together with my heart to say(as reasoned stands first, this is the subject of the whole, and the words ‘to say,’לאמר, are the usual formula of introduction of the thing said; they are equivalent to our ‘to this effect.’ This then is Koheleth’s reasoning, the result of which is to be given),I behold(stating it as an admitted and patent fact)I have been made great, and I have been addedto inwisdom above all which were before me in Jerusalem, and my heart has seen the much(with the article expressed; equivalent therefore to very much, or as much as possible of)wisdom and knowledge.

17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

and have set my heart earnestly to know wisdom, and to know false successes from real acts of prudence, know but this: it is simply vexing one’s spirit;

(17.)And I have given my heart in order to know wisdom(that is, he made wisdom his special study and object)and the knowledge of(‘know’ being repeated rises into special prominence, and hence the meaning is to know wisdom, or to be wise enough to recognise)false expectations and prudences. (This passage is one of great difficulty, but the exact sense will become apparent on investigating the meaning of the two wordsהוללותandשכלות; nowהוללותoccurs chapteri.17,ii.12,vii.25,ix.3, and pointed with Shurek atx.13, and is peculiar to Ecclesiastes. It is a technical word, and is correctly translated ‘folly,’ but it is that kind of folly which displays itself in false joy. The future poel from which this noun is derived occurs Jobxii.17, chaptervii.7, Isaiahxliv.25; and the participle at chapterii.2, Psalmcii.89. Thus we see the connexion between this sense and the more ordinary one of ‘praise;’ it is the ‘bepraised’ used in a bad sense. The wordשכלותoccurs here only, but it is rendered by theLXX.ἐπιστήμη, and by the Syriac(‡ Syriac word), compare also Genesisxli.33, with the meaning ‘prudence,’ and with this agrees the later Hebrew. Now these meanings make consistent sense. Koheleth wished to know wisdom and the knowledge of folly and prudence; in other words, to have a wisdom which could tell the one from the other. Thus theLXX.renderהל״byπαραβολὰς, whichA²has altered intoπεριφορὰν; this apparently very strange rendering is thus intelligible enough, especially to those who had the Hebrew before them. To alter the text toסכלות, as some have proposed, is not even to cut the Gordian knot, for with the true meaning of this word, ‘clever-folly,’ ‘false-wisdom,’ no better sense will be made, although it is quite possible thatשכ״may have been chosen for the equivoke it gives, not even differing in sound, if the pointing can be trusted, fromסכ״. The truth is that so much of our elaborate wisdom and best plans are but elaborate mistakes, that to attempt to judge the one from the other is a hopeless task. Hence then the following)I know(this is the fourth time this word occurs in the clause, thus it is brought out with the very strongest prominence, and gives the meaning ‘what I do know is’)that even this(שגם, compare places chapterii.15,viii.14, has a peculiar meaning, expressive of surprise that this should be so) reallyis vexing of spirit(רעיון, notרעות, as above; because in this case the vexation is subjective,——the idea conveyed by the whole passage being ‘what I do know as the result of my wisdom and knowledge being just even this, that it is only a vexing of the spirit’). It may be observed thatרעיוןoccurs in the Chaldee of Daniel——see Danielii.29, 30;iv.19 (16);v.6,etc., always in the sense of a ‘painfulreflection,’ but in later Chaldee and Syriac as ‘a reflection’ of any kind. As the sense in which Koheleth uses the word is the nearest to the root-meaning, is it not an evidence, so far, of earlier composition of his book?

18 For in much wisdomismuch grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

because, in increasing wisdom, there is an increase also of disappointment, and what adds to one’s knowledge adds to one’s sorrow.

(18.)For(introducing a reason for this conclusion as follows)in much wisdom is much grief(grief in the sense of ‘vexation,’ caused by disappointment——see chapterii.23,vii.3, 9,xi.10, 1 Samueli.6. TheLXX.translate byγνῶσις, ‘knowledge’! Is it possible that they intended to refer to Genesisii.♦17, usingγνῶσιςin a bad sense?)andhe thatincreases knowledge increases sorrow(chapterii.23; Exodusiii.7, of the Israelitish sorrows at the hands of their task-masters). ‘In a world like this much science is much sorrow, for it is the knowledge of penury, the statistics of starvation, the assurance that our case is desperate.’——[Hamilton.]♦“xvii.” replaced with “17”Even the wisdom of Solomon having failed to find any solution of the problem of human anxiety, he next tries mirth, but with no better success. This experiment takes only two verses to record, for it was but soon over.

♦“xvii.” replaced with “17”

Even the wisdom of Solomon having failed to find any solution of the problem of human anxiety, he next tries mirth, but with no better success. This experiment takes only two verses to record, for it was but soon over.

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